Reports indicate Tech arena passed balcony stress test

A balcony at United Spirit Arena that required additional steel support withstood a load test over the weekend, leaving Texas Tech officials encouraged about preliminary results.

Spokesman Michael Sommermeyer said information from the test was still under review Monday. A final report is to be presented to Chancellor John Montford, and the results are to be made public later this week, he said.

Montford requested the load test to determine if a balcony in the $51 million United Spirit Arena might collapse when filled with spectators. The balcony is to be used as a handicapped seating area.

An independent steel inspector hired by Texas Tech determined last fall that structural adjustments were needed in steel beams supporting the seating section at the arena's west end.

Over the weekend, sandbags were filled with concrete and loaded onto the balcony while engineers electronically monitored shifting of the balcony. Some shifting is normal, but excessive shifting could have led school officials to replace the entire balcony.

Sommermeyer said the load, which was greater than the calculated weight of the crowd expected to occupy the balcony, was left in place 24 hours over the weekend. He said shifting was within an acceptable range.

Construction on the state-of-the-art basketball arena began in 1997 and is expected to be completed by Sept. 1, about eight months behind the original completion date.

Spokeswoman Cindy Rugeley had said previously that university officials have not determined whether faulty architectural plans or poor construction methods are to blame for causing the structural adjustments.

Rugeley said Tech officials hope they can resolve the issue with either its contractor or architect without filing a lawsuit.